Challenges
by Harry Artemis Jackson
Summary: While Holly is visting Fowl Manor after the events of TLG, Artemis has her read the journals of his eight year old self so she can learn of the thing he never told her.
1. Chapter 1: Secrets

**A/N: I've been busy on here lately, have I not? Alright, this is a the first chapter of my new fic, Challenges. It's sort of a prologue, really. I only expect this to be a few chapters. Just an idea that popped into my head one day. I hope that you guys enjoy! Make sure to review to tell me if you did or not! Oh, and this DOES take place after TLG.**

**Disclaimer: This is a recorded message. If you want to read something by Eoin Colfer, press 1. If you want to read something fan-made, continue onwards. Thank you. Have a nice day.**

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Chapter 1: Secrets

Holly and Artemis were walking Fowl Manor's grounds one beautiful spring morning. The air smelled sweet, birds were chirping merrily, and butterflies zoomed through the air. It all seemed rather perfect, as sweet as spring mornings could get. Of course, maybe Holly was a little biased. This was the first time she had been able to get above ground in three months.

The first time she had been able to see Artemis in three months. Three months since he'd returned from the dead. She looked into his eyes (both blue now) as he talked while they walked. He seemed just a bit… different since he'd come back to life. Not in a bad way, necessarily. Just different. Holly couldn't put her finger on what had changed, exactly.

He was her best friend. After all they had been through, how could he not be? He was the first one to hear about her promotion to major (which they'd actually given her after all these years), the first one to hear about her failed fourth date with Trouble (in which he said he liked Lilli Frond better. The nerve of him!), the first one she called when she became sad over her mother's death all over again.

Artemis and Holly reached the spiral of "fairy roses," as they were called. Artemis came to a halt in front of them. Holly stopped and stood beside him. She placed a hand on his back. She thought of all the months she had waited, wondering if the crazy plan Artemis had cooked up would work. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks, and when she glanced at Artemis, she saw that he was crying too.

"It's okay," Holly said, after a moment of silence. "You're here now. It's all alright. You're back with us, with a full memory of everything that had happened before. Your father knows the truth, no more lying to him, you're back with your family, and you can relax for once. No edge-of-your-seat adventures."

"I know," said Artemis. "I just…" He bent over, picked a fairy rose, and offered it to Holly. "Thank you. Thank you for being my best friend, for always being there. Thank you for trusting me. I know that isn't always the easiest thing to do."

Holly took the offered rose, a bit startled by Artemis's forward actions. She smelled it, and then said, "Of course I trust you. Sure, you've lied to me before, but you've always made it up to me. And besides, I have no reason to believe that you'll do it again." She twirled the flower in-between her fingertips.

Artemis turned to Holly. Tear-streaks showed clearly on his face. Holly felt an overwhelming urge to kiss him, Mud Boy or not. Holly mentally shook the thoughts from her head. That's not something you can think, Holly thought. You have no excuse this time. No time stream to blame.

"But… but I have lied to you, Holly," Artemis said finally.

Holly wrinkled her brow in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean, you lied to me?" All thoughts of kissing Artemis were long gone now. He lied to me, Holly thought. That was all she could think. He lied to _me!_

"It wasn't intentional. You must trust me on that. But I've realized that I've kept you from a crucial detail of my life." Artemis drew a deep breath. Then, he reached over and grabbed Holly's hand. "I want to show you." He began to pull her towards Fowl Manor.

Holly's head spun. What in Frond's name was he talking about? What could he possibly have kept from her? What could possibly make him so upset?

When they reached Fowl Manor, Artemis took Holly to his room. Not his study, for once, but his room. Holly realized that she'd never been in there before.

"Have a seat, Holly," Artemis said, gesturing to his bed. Holly laid down on one side. Holly heard him rummaging around in his closet. Finally, he laid down next to her. He was holding a small, brown journal.

"I used to keep a paper diary when I was younger. This… this volume of it should be the one that I wrote about… what I need to tell you."

He flipped to the first page. "Do you want me to read the first part?"

Holly nodded. "I'll read in a few minutes."

_My name is Artemis Fowl II. I am not your average eight year old boy, although if you're reading this, I'm sure that you know that already. If you know me, then it's impossible that you don't. _

_My father is Artemis Fowl I, the head of the Fowl criminal empire that stretches across several continents. My mother is Angeline Fowl. My bodyguard, Butler, is like a second father to me, and his younger sister, Juliet, is like a sister to me.  
_

_But they are not the reason that I feel compelled to write. They are not the reasons I feel the need to express my emotions. No, my concerns lie with my twin brother, Aidan. _

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**A/N: Now, before you go all "that's SO cliché" on me... Wait until the next chapter. Then, if you still think it's cliched, you can go all ninja on my ass. And I know it's short... remember, it's kind of a prolouge. So review?**


	2. Chapter 2: Aidan

**A/N: I am startled by how much attention this has recieved in the few days it has been since I've posted it. All of the positive feedback made me determined to post again soon. And here you go: proof of the positive power of reviewing! I'm not insanely happy with how this came out. First of all, it's shorter than I'd hoped it'd be. And secondly, I don't feel like I got the characters' reactions right. We'll see, I guess.**

**Disclaimer: Hi there! My name is (****_not)_ Eoin Colfer and I do (_not) _own Artemis Fowl.**

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Chapter 2: Aidan

Holly stared at Artemis. "Twin brother? _Twin brother?_ You have a twin brother named Aidan?" She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Why would he keep this from her? From his best friend?

Artemis shook his head. "I had a twin brother named Aidan. I do not anymore." A small tear fell from his eye.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Holly asked. "I'm you're best friend, aren't I?"

"You are my best friend. I didn't tell you because I wanted to forget myself," Artemis said, a guilty look in his eyes. "I should have told you anyway."

"It's okay," Holly said. "What happened?"

"I suppose that if we keep reading, you'll find out," Artemis said, nodding at the book.

"I'll read if you want," said Holly. "I know this must be hard enough for you without having to reread whatever happened."

"Go ahead," said. Artemis. "Be my guest."

Holly cleared her throat and began to read.

_My concerns lie with my twin brother, Aidan. _Holly stumbled a bit over the word "twin" slightly. 'Is this actually happening?' she thought. 'Could I be dreaming?'

_Aidan too is an unordinary child. However, his unordinary is not the same as my unordinary. _

_Such a slight child you have never seen. He is extremely thin and very short for his age. His physical appearance isn't what makes him different, though._

_Aidan is mentally handicapped. He is hardly more than a shell, little more than a human vegetable. _Holly stopped reading.

"Little more than a human vegetable? What… what does that mean, Arty?" An overwhelming sadness sat heavy in her heart. This…this was just terrible, and she didn't know what to say.

"You shall see," was Artemis's response. Holly picked up the book (which she hadn't realized that she had dropped) and continued reading.

_Aidan is unable to speak. He can grunt and moan, and once in a while I am able to interpret one of his sounds, but most of the time they are unintelligible._

_Aidan cannot walk without the aid of a walker. Most of the time, he is in a wheelchair. Aidan is unable to do most things other people think are easy. He cannot dress himself, brush his teeth by himself, or feed himself. He is even unable to use the bathroom unattended._

_Poor Aidan is constantly on oxygen. Even breathing is something he needs help with._

_I am not sure what my brother's problem is called, if it has a name. The only way I can tell that he can even acknowledge that things are going on around him is by his eyes. His eyes are bright. I think he may be as smart as me, maybe even smarter, but he cannot express it._

_When I look at him, I see a spitting image of myself. An extremely ill image, but someone who looks very much like me all the same. I often think that that could have been me, sitting in the wheelchair, unable to fend for myself._

_Sometimes I wonder if it should be me._

Holly stopped again. She had begun to cry. "Oh…oh my gods, Artemis. I had no idea… I'm so sorry, so, so sorry." She noticed that several spots on the page she had just read were discolored. She realized that eight year old Arty had been crying while writing it.

'Sometimes I wonder if it should be me… Sometimes I wonder if it should be me…' The words echoed in Holly's brain. 'I can't believe he actually thought that,' she thought. 'It isn't his fault.'

Holly reached over and grabbed Artemis's hand. "Oh my gods, Arty. This had got to be so terrible for you. I can't imagine going through something like this."

Artemis turned and looked at Holly, surprised. "So you aren't mad at me for keeping this from you?"

Holly's eyebrows shot up. "How could I be mad at you? This is something that I might want to forget, if I were you. But you can't forget. He was your brother."

Tears welled in Artemis's eyes. "It should have been me," he whispered. "Not him… It should have been me!"

"No!" Holly exclaimed. "You can't think like that. I know it seems unfair, but it should NOT have been you sitting in that wheelchair, Artemis. You can't feel guilty about this. It's beyond your control. Nothing you could do could have prevented it."

"But… but maybe I could have. You have to keep reading… Only then will you understand." Artemis began to cry harder than Holly had ever seen him cry.

"There is nothing you could have done," Holly repeated firmly. "Arty, you deserve to be alive. I am most certainly not saying Aidan deserved to die, but I am saying that it isn't your fault. You don't deserve to be dead just because he is."

Artemis reached out and hugged Holly. They lingered in the tight embrace for several seconds, and then finally they pulled apart. Artemis held Holly at arm's length.

"Thank you," he said. He leaned in and kissed Holly briefly on the lips. "But you don't know everything yet."

The kiss still tingled on Holly's lips. Even in the terrible situation, she enjoyed the kiss, even if she had been startled by it.

"I know enough for now," Holly said. "Let's take a break." Then she leaned in and kissed Artemis, a real kiss, and he began to kiss her back. His hands tangled themselves in her hair, and he kissed her like he never had before. This was different than their kiss in the past. It was completely unaltered by the time stream. It was real.

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**A/N: Excuse my terrible attempt at romance above. I suck at it. Anyway, I was more satisfied with the first chapter, but oh well. The more reviews and feedback I get, the more motivated I am to update! So please, review!**


	3. Chapter 3: Kisses and Understanding

**A/N: Okay, here is the /slightly/ late chapter of Challenges. This story has become my main priority. I hope to update this the most often. People seem quite interested in it and I enjoy writing it. The plotline comes easily. I'm not quite sure if A/H shippers will love or hate this chapter. I guess I'll have to wait and see. WARNING: Like the rest of this story, Artemis's journal is extremely depressing and will get more so as time goes on. You have been warned.**

**Disclaimer: Love the A/H. Colfer doesn't (although I don't know why. He should understand that his characters are perfect for each other!). So Artemis Fowl & Co. don't belong to me...**

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Chapter 3: Kisses and Understanding

It was several moments before the two moved away. "Wow," breathed Artemis, blushing slightly.

"Wow," Holly agreed. Then the reality of what she had just done struck her. "Oh my gods, Artemis! I just kissed you!" Although, if she was honest with herself, it was more than a kiss. It had been a full-blown make-out session.

"Yes, you did," Artemis said absently. He reached up and touched his lips, then leaned over and touched hers. "And it was amazing."

Holly realized that she had feelings for this Mud Boy. He made her feel like an adolescent once again, with the sweaty palms and the butterflies in the stomach. She _liked _Artemis Fowl! The magnitude of this statement weighed heavy on her shoulders. He was a human, for Frond's sake, and she was a fairy!

"You know we can't do this," Holly said finally. "You're fifteen, and I'm almost ninety! Plus, there's the whole different species thing… And finally, you're my best friend! I think… I think we should just leave things the way they were before."

Artemis heaved a sigh. "You're right," he said, a sad note to his voice. "It could never work, and I'd be silly to think otherwise." He reached over and grabbed her hand. "I don't give a damn about the age difference, Holly, nor the fact that we belong to two different species." Holly blinked. 'Did Artemis just swear?' she thought. "But you're my best friend… Maybe it's better if we don't try."

Holly tried her best to ignore the pang of longing that came when he said that. "Yeah," said Holly. "Let's pretend that never happened, okay?"

Artemis snorted. "I doubt I'll ever be able to forget that moment. I don't _want _to forget that moment. But I will not speak of it, if you don't wish me to."

"Yes," said Holly forcibly. She saw him flinch, and realized that was a little harsh.

"Didn't you enjoy it?" he whispered, almost too quiet for her to hear.

"D'Arvit, Artemis, of course I enjoyed it! I'm head-over-heels crazy for you! Do you realize how long it's been since I've had a crush?" 'Because that's all it is,' thought Holly. 'Right? That's all it can be.' "But did I not just say that we weren't trying anything? Nobody needs to know."

Inside, Holly was dying. She hadn't had a crush since she'd first started training for the LEP. That had been Trouble, but she hadn't acted on it for the sake of their friendship. Just like she was doing now.

Artemis nodded. "No one needs to know," he echoed. He began to stroke her hand, and Holly felt her cheeks get red. Boy, did she want a chance with the infuriating Mud Boy… But no. They couldn't. They just couldn't.

"Do you want to read more?" Artemis asked. Holly nodded. This was a surefire way to get her mind off her feelings for Artemis. She scooted over until their hips touched. She involuntarily shivered.

"I'll read again," she said. Artemis nodded, and moved his arm as if to put it around her, but thought better of it. He didn't drop her hand.

_January 1- Today is the first day of the new year. Most people make New Year's resolutions. I have decided to make one: Find a cure for Aidan. _

_I went into the kitchen today. Mother was there, trying to feed Aidan his typical breakfast. A jar of baby food. No chewing for Aidan. _

_Butler finished making my breakfast. "Here you go, Master Artemis." I nodded at Butler._

"_What do you say, Artemis?" Mother asked. "Don't we say thank you?"  
_

"_I said thank you, Mother," I said, exasperated. "I nodded at Butler."_

_"What kind of thank you is that?" she asked, looking at me._

"_That's how Father says thank you," I responded. "If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me."_

_Mother sighed, and went back to feeding Aidan. "Mmm-mmm, Arremiii," Aidan said, looking at me. _

"_Good morning to you too, Aidan," I said, flashing him a smile. He's the only person who gets my real smiles._

_Mother shook her head in amazement. "I'll never understand how you're able to understand what Aidan says. I try so hard, I just never can. It must be a twin thing."_

"_I'll never understand how no one but me can understand him," I said in reply. "Of course, most of the time I don't know what he's saying, other times, it's easy. Isn't that right, Aidan?"  
_

"_Yeeee!" Aidan squeaked excitedly. All I could feel was sadness. It isn't fair that I was perfectly capable of speech and Aidan isn't, I thought. I had to remind myself that life isn't fair…_

Holly stopped. 'No, life most certainly isn't fair,' thought Holly. It looked like Artemis was thinking the same thing.

Artemis reached up and stroked Holly's cheek without thinking about it. "Wouldn't it be amazing if life was fair?"

"Yes," Holly said. "Yes, because then it would be perfectly acceptable for me to do this." She leaned in again and kissed him softly on the lips. They were warm and tasted of the chocolate cake they had eaten for lunch. She quickly pulled away. "Sorry," she muttered.

"It's okay," Artemis said, blushing and refusing to meet her eye. It seemed to Holly that he wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him. 'It's just a stupid crush,' Holly thought again. 'But if that's the case, why the hell do I keep kissing him?'

She looked around the room and said, for what felt like the millionth time, "I'm sorry about Aidan."

Artemis looked at her and said, "It's alright, really. He's been dead for seven - no, I guess ten - years now. It's just a fact of life. Do I miss him? Of course I do! But no amount of missing him is going to bring him back. He's dead, and there's nothing I can do about it now." In a quieter voice, he added, "There was something I could have done about it then."

'This again?' though Holly. 'I can't stand to see him so guilty.' "Artemis, I'm sure there is NOTHING you could have done. You can't blame Aidan's death on yourself like this."

"You won't understand until we've read the whole thing. But thanks for trying to make me feel better." He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. "It means a lot."

"Ah-hem," said Butler from the doorway. "I'm supposed to inform you that dinner's ready."

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**A/N: Like the ending? Review! :)**


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